Vlad the Impaler speaks

[finnbow]

Vladimir Putin says "They are living beyond their means and shifting a part of the weight of their problems to the world economy....They are living like parasites off the global economy and their monopoly of the dollar."


http://news.yahoo.com/putin-says-u-parasite-global-economy-191447751.html

Pretty tough (and politically-inspired) talk, but with certain elements of truth to it. It's pretty sad to be on the receiving end of a (mostly deserved) economic lecture from this jagoff.:(

[BlueStreak]

As the world grows smaller and smaller with globalization, it will become increasingly impossible for our internal affairs to not directly affect others. (And vice-versa.) What we do has affected them in the past, this is true. But, now it moves much more quickly and more profoundly. And that will only increase going forward.

I ponder this a lot lately.

Because, if we don't get our act together....eventually, someone might just get fed up and try to do it for us.

I shudder to think of it.

Dave

[flacaltenn]

Think it's gonna look a little like celebrity rehab. We will be hauled kicking and screaming into intervention and Vlad and his buddies will hold our assets in trust while we detox..

We need to stop the political carnival and act like we're competent. Maybe also detox our lives and families from all of the Roman distractions around us.. This IS life and death. And watch closely.. Because those with the greatest sense of self-preservation are gonna become the leaders...

[CarlV]

I think that Putin is pretty dead on too.


Carl

[flacaltenn]

Now this is also quite strange. Maybe I've woken up in parallel universe this morning.. What with Dave feeling guilty about getting thanked at work and now CarlV giving cred to the Vladiator.

How come -- it's completely acceptable coming from PUTIN -- but when the same message (about foisting too much debt on the market) comes from the political right -- you go off the rails??

[BlueStreak]

Now this is also quite strange. Maybe I've woken up in parallel universe this morning.. What with Dave feeling guilty about getting thanked at work and now CarlV giving cred to the Vladiator.

How come -- it's completely acceptable coming from PUTIN -- but when the same message (about foisting too much debt on the market) comes from the political right -- you go off the rails??

Because the American Right is so utterly..........Goofy........

(For lack of a better way of putting it.)

I mean...............just listen to them. Even when they're right, you just want to choke them.

Really.

Dave

[flacaltenn]

Because the American Right is so utterly..........Goofy........

(For lack of a better way of putting it.)

I mean...............just listen to them. Even when they're right, you just want to choke them.

Really.

Dave

I can respect that.. I might vote for Putey over some of the GOP choices.. America could use an ex-KGB spy chief type. He could just make folks disappear like Hoffa..

I'll wait to see if the Libertarians draft John Stossel this year..

[BlueStreak]

Stossel?

Now, there's the epitome of "Goofy"-ness.

What? Are you try to make sure your movement never leaves the ground?

Dave

[finnbow]

Stossel?

Now, there's the epitome of "Goofy"-ness.

What? Are you try to make sure your movement never leaves the ground?

Dave

QFT. I too have libertarian (with a small "L") leanings, but I find the libertarian party too goofy for words. In fact, the Libertarian Party may, in fact, be goofier than the GOP.

Stossel seems to be suffering a never-ending acid flashback IMHO.

[Combwork]

As the world grows smaller and smaller with globalization, it will become increasingly impossible for our internal affairs to not directly affect others. (And vice-versa.) What we do has affected them in the past, this is true. But, now it moves much more quickly and more profoundly. And that will only increase going forward.

I ponder this a lot lately.

"Because, if we don't get our act together....eventually, someone might just get fed up and try to do it for us."

I shudder to think of it.

Dave



"Because, if we don't get our act together....eventually, someone might just get fed up and try to do it for us."

That's an interesting thought. To do this the "someone" would have to have, or be perceived to have both power (economic and military) and a stable political system; one where changes at the top would not start a revolution. China is seen to be the most powerful economically and with a very strong export market, but with the possible exception of Taiwan they don't seem to have military ambitions outside their own border; nothing equivalent to the U.S.S.R. in the days of Hungary and Czechoslovakia. Having achieved a worldwide lead as a manufacturing and exporting country, if this market was threatened would the Chinese adopt the equivalent of 19th century gunboat diplomacy? Or something more subtle?

Just as an aside, does America still have a treaty to protect Taiwan from invasion by whatever means necessary?

[piece-itpete]

LOL! There is NOTHING goofier than the left. Wanna see a real freakshow...

Putin can suck eggs. Mother Russia loves to make us look bad.

Pete

[bhunter]

LOL! There is NOTHING goofier than the left. Wanna see a real freakshow...

Putin can suck eggs. Mother Russia loves to make us look bad.

Pete

Agreed! Putin and Russia is way down the list of countries to worry about. Putin's verbal meanderings are more for the benefit of making Russians feel good than a credible threat to the U.S. I'm not particularly worried about the PRC either. They are going to have growing pains that may ultimately undermine their entire structure. I wouldn't mind seeing Japan strengthen itself militarily to counter Chinese power in the region.

[flacaltenn]

Combwork:

Just as an aside, does America still have a treaty to protect Taiwan from invasion by whatever means necessary?


Not truely.. We've backed off all the exercises in the China sea with Taiwan once the mainland started sending missiles over Taiwan.. But we WILL stand right behind as their "real estate agent" when the deal is negotiated with PRC. We'll get them as good a deal as Hong Kong got eh? ;)

[piece-itpete]

B, I believe the Japan is doing exactly that.

The thought of screwing the Beautiful Island ('Formosa') makes me want to vomit, but realpolitik says China is more important.

Pete

[Boreas]

How come -- it's completely acceptable coming from PUTIN -- but when the same message (about foisting too much debt on the market) comes from the political right -- you go off the rails??

And how come the Left was pilloried by the right for voicing those same concerns when GWB started two wars with borrowed money and at the same time lowered taxes, making more borrowing inevitable?

By the way, I freely acknowledge that the Left is just as hypocritical as the Right here. It ain't even whose ox is being gored (since we're all the ox). It's whose hero is doing the goring.

John
(Hello again, all!)

[Boreas]

Agreed! Putin and Russia is way down the list of countries to worry about. Putin's verbal meanderings are more for the benefit of making Russians feel good than a credible threat to the U.S. I'm not particularly worried about the PRC either. They are going to have growing pains that may ultimately undermine their entire structure. I wouldn't mind seeing Japan strengthen itself militarily to counter Chinese power in the region.

Interesting to see a conversation about the world economy quickly morph into one about "The Red Menace" and the global balance of forces.

John

[d-ray657]

Hi John,

Welcome back.

Regards,

D-Ray

[Boreas]

Just as an aside, does America still have a treaty to protect Taiwan from invasion by whatever means necessary?

Not truely.. We've backed off all the exercises in the China sea with Taiwan once the mainland started sending missiles over Taiwan.. But we WILL stand right behind as their "real estate agent" when the deal is negotiated with PRC. We'll get them as good a deal as Hong Kong got eh? ;)

The treaty obligation does exist and in quite specific language. The fact that our government wisely chooses to ignore this relic of John Foster Dulles-inspired Cold War brinksmanship doesn't alter that fact.

John

[Boreas]

Hi John,

Welcome back.

Regards,

D-Ray

Hey, Don! I guess I missed you guys...........

Even Pete! ;)

John

[JJIII]

Hey, Don! I guess I missed you guys...........

Even Pete! ;)

John

Welcome back!

[piece-itpete]

Howdy Wallace! :)

Pete

[merrylander]

Welcome back John.

[Dondilion]

Gorbachev: Putin has castrated Russian politics.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-14583621

[Charles]

And how come the Left was pilloried by the right for voicing those same concerns when GWB started two wars with borrowed money and at the same time lowered taxes, making more borrowing inevitable?

By the way, I freely acknowledge that the Left is just as hypocritical as the Right here. It ain't even whose ox is being gored (since we're all the ox). It's whose hero is doing the goring.

John
(Hello again, all!)

It's gettin' to be just like old times.

This calls for a pissin' contest!!!

Chas

[djv8ga]

this calls for a pissin' contest!!!

Chas
Hell Yea!!!

[Charles]

Hell Yea!!!

And if anyone can start one, it's you!!!

Chas

BTW, isn't the little sporty go fast car what you and Rapid Edward used to spar about?

You have him and Borass confused, I think.

[djv8ga]

And if anyone can start one, it's you!!!

Chas

BTW, isn't the little sporty go fast car what you and Rapid Edward used to spar about?

You have him and Borass confused, I think.
Damn it! Was it a Miata??? I can't keep track of these Goofy Lefty's and their girly cars.

[JJIII]

Pissin' contest? Let me go go get another 12 pack!

[d-ray657]

Damn it! Was it a Miata??? I can't keep track of these Goofy Lefty's and their girly cars.

You saying an '87 Caprice Classic is a girly car? :eek:

The '94 Mercedes is getting close to being a daily driver.

Regards,

D-Ray

[djv8ga]

You saying an '87 Caprice Classic is a girly car? :eek:

The '94 Mercedes is getting close to being a daily driver.

Regards,

D-Ray
You are such a brute.

[BlueStreak]

Hey, Don! I guess I missed you guys...........

Even Pete! ;)

John

Welcome back, John!

Dave

[djv8ga]

Oh God, It's a Socialist Love Fest...:rolleyes:

[BlueStreak]

Jealous?

[djv8ga]

Jealous?
:eek:...

[Boreas]

Hey, y'all lunatic fringers!

Welcome back!

Thank you, John!

Howdy Wallace! :)

Pete

No, no! I'm Gromit!

Welcome back John.

And thank you too, you bloody foreigner! ;)

It's gettin' to be just like old times.

This calls for a pissin' contest!!!

Chas

Been drinkin' coffee and savin' up all day, Chas! I'm READY!

Welcome back, John!

Dave

Hey, Dave! Thanks! How's the swamp?

Oh God, It's a Socialist Love Fest...:rolleyes:

Yup! In the back seat of my MR-2..................

John

[BlueStreak]

Hey, Dave! Thanks! How's the swamp?


John


On fire.:(

Dave

[Boreas]

On fire.:(

Dave

No shit? Damn! Global climate change is a Liberal hoax, right? :confused:

John

[BlueStreak]

Friday it was so GD thick, they almost cancelled work. Glad they didn't, Or I would have had to work tomorrow. BTW, I got 20 hours of overtime and 9 hours of double time this week. Thank you organized labor for eliminating the daily wage, making them pay by the hour and establishing overtime pay.

Oh, that's right..........the "companies" just got a wild hair to do all of that all on their own.........(If it sounds like bullshit, it probably is.)

Dave